


Boyfriend Sweater

by butterflyslinky



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Allergies, Fluff, Knitting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:02:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27217618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/butterflyslinky/pseuds/butterflyslinky
Summary: Julian wants to give Garak a gift and needs Dax's help with it.
Relationships: Julian Bashir/Elim Garak
Comments: 22
Kudos: 73





	Boyfriend Sweater

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place in season three.

Dax knew that whenever Julian came to her with that look, it was going to be an interesting day.

She didn’t think it would be this interesting.

“You want to learn what?” she said in shock.

“Knitting,” Julian said. “By hand.”

“Why?”

Julian looked a bit sheepish. “Because Garak was complaining that the station is always too cold, and I thought about how he makes clothes for everyone else but no one ever makes anything for him, and I want him to know that someone cares about him, so I thought I’d knit him a sweater.”

“Julian,” Dax said. “Knitting a sweater is a big undertaking...why don’t we start with a scarf and work our way up to it?”

“Oh...all right,” Julian said. “I just thought…”

“I know,” Dax said. “But let’s start simple.” She went to the replicator. “Four knitting needles, two skeins of sheep wool yarn...color?”

“Red,” Julian said.

“Red,” Dax repeated. She picked up the items as they materialized and took them to the couch. Julian sat down next to her. “All right...let’s start with your basic stitch.”

*

To Dax’s surprise, Julian took to knitting fairly quickly. His stitches were a little bit crooked, but that was to be expected. It soon became a habit for him to be knitting whenever he had time, with the ever-lengthening scarf following him everywhere.

It was gratifying, though. Dax hadn’t needed to use that particular skill in a long time, but she remembered how much she enjoyed it as she taught Julian more complicated stitches. They spent at least one night a week in her quarters, both knitting and gossipping about the other station residents.

After a few months, Julian had moved up from scarves to hats, and then gloves. His hands were steadier now, and he was surprisingly quick at the task. Half the station had already been gifted something from Julian’s hands, though Molly was the only person who wore any of it regularly.

It was about six months before Dax decided it was time.

“You realize that knitting a sweater for your boyfriend means that a break-up is imminent?” she asked carefully at one of their evening sessions.

Julian blinked. “I’m sorry?”

“It’s called the boyfriend sweater curse,” Dax continued. “If you start knitting a sweater for your boyfriend, he’ll break up with you before it’s finished or just after he receives it...it’s something a lot of humans believe.”

“Why is that common?” Julian asked.

Dax shrugged. “Most people put it down to the boyfriend not appreciating the effort put into the project. Sweaters take a long time to make, by which point the cracks in the relationship become obvious.”

“That makes sense,” Julian said. “But I’m not worried about it.”

“Why not?”

“Garak’s not my boyfriend.”

Dax blinked and dropped a stitch. “He’s not?”

“No?” Julian looked very confused. “Why did you think he was?”

“Well...you spend a lot of time with him,” Dax said. “And you’re learning a whole new skill to make him something nice...I’m assuming you’ve ordered real yarn for the final project?”

“Yes,” Julian said. “From Bajor...I checked to make sure it doesn’t irritate Cardassian skin.”

“Exactly,” Dax said. “Most people wouldn’t go to all the trouble for just a friend.”

Julian shrugged. “I mean...I like him,” he said. “But we’re not...he doesn’t want anything from me.”

“I see.”

“Besides,” Julian added. “Even if we were a couple, if anyone’s going to appreciate the effort of making clothes, it’s Garak.”

“I suppose that’s true,” Dax said. She grinned impishly. “And maybe it will be the push he needs to realize he does like you back.”

Julian choked and dropped several stitches.

*

The yarn arrived from Bajor a week later. Dax looked at it in surprise when Julian carried it into her quarters. “You didn’t want to just use one color?”

Julian sighed a little. “I had to take what I could get,” he said. “This is enough yarn for the sweater and some extra in case I really mess it up...but they didn’t have enough of just one color in stock so I had to take what I could get.”

“I suppose you were lucky to get colors that at least belong on the same palette,” Dax said. “But maybe we should use replicated yarn for the first try?”

“I think I’d better get used to the real thing,” Julian said. “It’s why I ordered extra yarn...just to make sure I can unravel and start over.”

“All right,” Dax said. “Let’s get started.”

*

“Ah, Lieutenant!”

Dax looked up in surprise as Garak strided over to her table in the replimat. “Can I help you?” she asked.

Garak gave her a very false smile. “I just wondered if you’d seen Dr. Bashir,” he said. “We were supposed to have lunch today but he hasn’t shown up...he’s locked in his office.”

“Oh,” Dax said. “He’s been working on a project lately...I guess he got caught up in it.”

“I see,” Garak said. “And would this project have anything to do with the fact that he’s been frequenting your quarters more over the last six months?”

“I’ve been helping him with it,” Dax said. 

“And would it also explain why his hands have been so chafed lately?”

“I...hadn’t noticed,” Dax said. That was a lie; it turned out that the yarn Julian had ordered might have been good for Cardassians, but was very harsh for humans. Julian had opted not to use a dermal regenerator, saying that it would be a waste of time before he was finished.

“I’m sure,” Garak said, though it was clear he didn’t believe her. “Well, I suppose I’ll congratulate him...it has been a long time coming.”

“Nothing’s going on,” Dax said. “We’re just friends and I have the skillset he needs for his project.”

“A scientific project?”

“More personal,” Dax said carefully. “But it’s nothing bad.”

Garak half-glared at her. “Dr. Bashir cares for you a great deal,” he said. “And if you break his heart, I can assure you, you will not like my response.”

Dax suppressed a laugh. “I’ll keep it in mind,” she said.

*

“Julian.”

Julian didn’t look up, determinedly knitting away without pause.

“Julian, your hands are looking worse.”

“They do itch,” Julian said. “But I want to finish soon.”

Dax looked at the garment forming in Julian’s rash-covered hands. It was almost done, though Dax didn’t imagine it would look very nice when he finished.

“Julian, you’ve been working on that for three months,” Dax said. “And you’re really allergic to that yarn.”

“I want it done for the Giving Festival.” Julian didn’t pause in his movements. “I want to give it to him...he always feels so alone during the Festivals...everyone treats him worse than usual.”

Dax sighed, knowing how stubborn Julian could get. “I know you care for him,” she said. “But he’s noticed...I don’t think he’d like you hurting yourself for him.”

“He won’t care.”

“He will...I think he cares about you too.”

“No,” Julian said. “He hates me...he said he does. And...I just want him to know that...even if he does hate me...I don’t hate him. And I hope he doesn’t hate me afterwards.”

“I doubt he will,” Dax said. “But he’ll agree with me that you’re an idiot.”

“I know that,” Julian said. “Everyone agrees on that.”

Dax laughed. “Maybe you should consider that we’re right.”

*

“What do you think?”

Dax looked at the sweater critically. “Well...it’s finished,” she said.

Julian sighed. “I know that...but is it good?”

“Well...it’s not bad for a first attempt.” It was true. The sweater was hideous, no doubt about that; the sleeves didn’t match, and it sloped strangely, but there weren’t any holes. The colors striped unevenly, changing wherever Julian ran out of yarn in no particular pattern.

“Do you think he’ll like it?”

“I’m sure he’ll appreciate the work you put into it.”

Julian’s shoulders slumped. “It’s bad,” he said. “I know it’s bad...maybe I should just forget it.”

“Julian, no. You’ve worked too long and hard on this...it’s like you said. He needs to know someone cares.”

Julian took a deep breath and nodded. “Right,” he said. “Right...he’ll hate it, but he’ll know I tried.”

“Exactly.” Dax smiled. “Do you want me to help you wrap it?”

“No,” Julian said. “No, I can do that myself...thank you. For all your help.”

“Hey,” Dax said. “It’s what friends do.” She smiled a bit. “You might want to do something about your hands before you go...they’re awfully scarred.”

“Yeah...it turns out the dermal regenerator doesn’t work on them...I haven’t found anything for this particular allergy yet. I’m hoping that the rashes will go away with time.”

“Then at least wear gloves.”

“Fine.”

Dax smiled. “See you at the festival.”

*

“What are we doing here?” Kira asked for the tenth time.

“I want to see something,” Dax said, leaning over the Promenade railing.

“Dax, I really should get back...Commander Sisko’s party is starting in an hour and there are people I need to deliver gifts to…”

“This shouldn’t take long.” Dax could already see Julian walking toward Garak’s shop, carrying a rather lumpy package. He paused, hesitating.

“What’s he doing?” Kira asked.

“Trying to work up the courage,” Dax said.

“The courage for what?”

“To give Garak a present,” Dax said.

“Why would he--?”

Garak came out of the shop and Dax made a silencing gesture. She leaned over as much as she could safely to hear the conversation. Fortunately, the Giving Festival was usually spent with family and the Promenade was unusually quiet.

“Doctor, I can’t possibly think why you’d want to see me today.”

“I...wanted to give you something.” Julian shoved the package at Garak. “In spirit of the Festival.”

“Doctor, I…”

“I know you don’t celebrate, but I didn’t think you should be alone...you’re my friend, and I wanted to let you know that I care about you. So...I thought this might be something to show that.”

Garak took the package and opened it. Dax held her breath, awaiting his reaction as he unfurled the sweater.

“I know that it’s...not the best,” Julian said. “But I made it myself from Bajoran wool and...and Dax helped, but...I know how nice it is when you make me clothes and…”

“Doctor,” Garak said. “It’s wonderful.”

Dax couldn’t see Julian’s smile, but she could definitely feel it.

“But,” Garak continued. “I can tell that this yarn was very harsh on your skin...come inside! I have a lotion that might help...and I can try this delightful garment on.”

Julian took Garak’s hand and followed him into the shop.

Kira looked at Dax. “They aren’t just going to try on sweaters, are they?”

“Oh, I’m sure they are,” Dax said. “And I’m sure they’ll do more after that.” She straightened up. “Come on...we should get ready for the party.”

“I take we’re not waiting for Julian?”

“No,” Dax said. “We’re not.”

*

Dax wasn’t prying. She just needed a hangover cure from the infirmary when Julian’s shift started.

She was not surprised to see that the rash had spread a lot further than his hands. “I take it you both like that sweater?”

“I really do,” Julian said. “I just hope I don’t scratch my face off every time we cuddle.” He handed Dax a hypospray. “Incidentally,” he added. “Garak wants to know if he can join our knitting circle.”

Dax grinned. “I’d love that.”


End file.
